US5647328A - In-tank fuel pump and reservoir - Google Patents

In-tank fuel pump and reservoir Download PDF

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Publication number
US5647328A
US5647328A US08/602,087 US60208796A US5647328A US 5647328 A US5647328 A US 5647328A US 60208796 A US60208796 A US 60208796A US 5647328 A US5647328 A US 5647328A
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Prior art keywords
fuel
pump
canister
filter
tank
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Kirk D. Fournier
Wayne T. Lipinski
Charles H. Tuckey
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TI Group Automotive Systems LLC
Walbro Corp
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Walbro Corp
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Priority to US08/643,634 priority patent/US5647329A/en
Priority to DE19625629A priority patent/DE19625629A1/de
Priority to JP8167966A priority patent/JPH09133058A/ja
Priority to FR9608077A priority patent/FR2736009B1/fr
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D35/00—Filtering devices having features not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00, or for applications not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00; Auxiliary devices for filtration; Filter housing constructions
    • B01D35/02—Filters adapted for location in special places, e.g. pipe-lines, pumps, stop-cocks
    • B01D35/027—Filters adapted for location in special places, e.g. pipe-lines, pumps, stop-cocks rigidly mounted in or on tanks or reservoirs
    • B01D35/0273—Filtering elements with a horizontal or inclined rotation or symmetry axis submerged in tanks or reservoirs
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
    • F02M37/04—Feeding by means of driven pumps
    • F02M37/08—Feeding by means of driven pumps electrically driven
    • F02M37/10—Feeding by means of driven pumps electrically driven submerged in fuel, e.g. in reservoir
    • F02M37/106—Feeding by means of driven pumps electrically driven submerged in fuel, e.g. in reservoir the pump being installed in a sub-tank
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
    • F02M37/00—Apparatus or systems for feeding liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus; Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines
    • F02M37/22—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system
    • F02M37/32—Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system characterised by filters or filter arrangements
    • F02M37/50—Filters arranged in or on fuel tanks
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
    • B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
    • B60K15/077—Fuel tanks with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/8593—Systems
    • Y10T137/86187—Plural tanks or compartments connected for serial flow
    • Y10T137/86212—Plural compartments formed by baffles
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/8593—Systems
    • Y10T137/86187—Plural tanks or compartments connected for serial flow
    • Y10T137/86228—With communicating opening in common walls of tanks or compartments

Definitions

  • This invention relates to vehicle fuel systems and more particularly to an electric fuel pump and reservoir disposed in a main fuel tank of a vehicle.
  • Modern fuel delivery systems for automotive vehicles with engines having fuel injectors have utilized an electrically driven fuel pump in the vehicle main fuel tank.
  • the electric fuel pump is mounted either directly in the vehicle tank, or is mounted within a reservoir canister received in the tank as shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,747,388; 4,807,582; 4,831,990; 4,893,647; and 4,964,787.
  • the canister reservoir supplies fuel to the pump in the event there is an interruption in the availability of fuel from the tank, such as when, under low fuel level conditions, cornering of the vehicle causes sloshing or movement of the fuel away from the pump inlet and to one side or the other of the tank, and/or when the tank is excessively tilted by vehicle inclination on severe grades, or when essentially all of the fuel in the main tank has been consumed or used.
  • the output of the fuel pump is greater than that required by the vehicle engine and the excess fuel is either returned from the fuel injectors to the tank or to the in-tank canister reservoir.
  • a no-return fuel system there is only one fuel supply line between the fuel pump module and an engine fuel rail or manifold distributing fuel to the individual fuel injectors, and downstream of the fuel injectors there is no line returning unused fuel from the rail or manifold to the fuel tank.
  • excess fuel is bypassed directly to the tank or canister reservoir, typically by a pressure regulator usually located closely downstream of the pump outlet within the tank or canister, or by a return line to the tank or canister when the regulator is exteriorly remote from the tank.
  • a valve associated with the canister responds to inertial forces created by side swerving motion of the vehicle, and/or in response to gravitational forces caused by excessive tilting of the vehicle on hills and grades, to open and allow flow of fuel from the canister to the fuel flow passage leading to the pump to thereby prevent starving of the engine due to no or low pump inflow from the main fuel tank.
  • Another system in accordance with the present invention for preventing starving of the fuel pump and hence the engine due to low flow from the main tank is that set forth in co-pending benefit parent application Ser. No. 08/496,950, filed Jun. 30, 1995 in the name of Charles H. Tuckey and assigned to Walbro Corporation, which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • a fuel pump is mounted directly in the tank and an in-tank standpipe reservoir is also mounted in the tank alongside of the pump and receives bypass fuel from the pump.
  • a restricted orifice provides the standpipe outlet and feeds into the space above the filter media of the primary fuel filter to thereby provide an always-open reserve fuel flow path from the standpipe reservoir to the fuel pump inlet.
  • the orifice is calibrated to be balanced with pump draw to prevent standpipe overflow so most if not all bypass fuel is returned to the pump inlet rather than overflowing to the main tank.
  • This system also enables the reservoir fuel at pump shut down to gravity flow back into the main tank from the interior of the main filter under low tank fuel level conditions to thereby backflush contaminants from the exterior surface of the main filter.
  • In-tank vehicle fuel pumps must be capable of operating in a wide range of ambient temperatures.
  • the hydrocarbon fuels gasoline and alcohol
  • the ambient temperatures may reach 110° to 120° Fahrenheit.
  • the temperature in the fuel tank below the automotive vehicle may be even higher than this. Since these pumps are frequently mounted in the fuel tanks, there is a great likelihood that the fuel in the pump may vaporize.
  • the pumps when mounted in reservoir canisters are usually positive displacement pumps and it is necessary that the entry to the pump chambers create a low pressure to draw fuel into the pumping chambers. This reduced pressure alone may cause a change in state of the fuel from liquid to vapor at elevated temperatures and significantly reduce the efficiency of the pump.
  • swirl pot i.e., a molded-in basin in the tank bottom in an attempt to maintain an adequate body of fuel in the vicinity of the fuel pump inlet to prevent pump starvation.
  • swirl pots are still subject to being emptied by severe vehicle cornering or excessive vehicle inclination, as well as when essentially all of the fuel of the main tank has been consumed or used.
  • Such swirl pots also inherently must be limited in their length, width and depth dimensions, thereby imposing a further constraint on the bulk of the fuel pump and associated filter package which can be accommodated in such swirl pots.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide an in-tank fuel delivery system, method and module which solves the aforementioned problem of the existing trade-off hitherto required between utilizing a positive displacement pump housed in a reservoir canister, and thereby provided with an ample supply of reserve fuel under all tank fuel level conditions, versus a turbine vane type fuel pump having preferred performance characteristics and operable vapor purging system but lacking an adequate and selectable reserve body of fuel to prevent pump starvation under adverse tank fuel level conditions.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a fuel delivery in-tank, system, method and module of the aforementioned character embodying both an in-tank fuel pump and a canister reservoir of the "bottom seeking type" which can be made in a compact subassembly small enough to fit within the existing confines of a fuel tank swirl pot and in which the fuel pump inlet can selectively draw from the main tank fuel body or the reserve body of fuel in the canister, and with the canister reservoir fuel reserve being maintained in a non-overflow state with bypass fuel return under normal operating conditions so that all of the advantages of in-tank canister reservoirs are obtained as well as all of the advantages of turbine vane fuel pump performance, while also enhancing the self-vapor-purging capability of the vapor purging system built into the pump and insuring return of twice-filtered bypass fuel to the pump inlet in preference to overflow return to the fuel tank.
  • Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel delivery system of the aforementioned character in which the canister reservoir can be made in varying sizes and capacities as permitted by the vehicle tank configuration, while also being capable in some embodiments of utilizing existing canister reservoir diaphragm operated bottom outlet valves or, alternatively, utilizing improved canister outlet fuel flow control systems and constructions of the invention for preventing fuel starvation of the pump inlet and operable at pump shut down to backflush contaminants from the exterior of the main filter.
  • Additional objects, features and advantages of this invention are to provide a vehicle in-tank fuel delivery module of the aforementioned character with the fuel pump mounted directly in the main body of fuel in vehicle fuel tank and in which an associated in-tank canister reservoir supplies fuel to the pump through the interior of a main pump inlet filter when the flow of fuel from the main tank is interrupted, the fuel supplied during interruption is twice filtered, admission of air and fuel vapor to the pump inlet is inhibited during interruption of the supply of fuel from the tank, and the canister and pump assembly is compact, rugged, durable, reliable, of relatively simple design, economical manufacture and assembly, and in service has a long useful life.
  • an electric fuel pump preferably turbine vane type having a vapor purge system, mounted in bottom-seeking manner directly in the main body of liquid fuel in a vehicle fuel tank with a fuel inlet connected to the tank fuel via main fuel filter chamber disposed in the bottom of the tank, such as in a swirl pot basin.
  • a fuel outlet of the pump supplies fuel for a vehicle engine and also communicates through a bypass, such as a pressure regulator, with an open-top in-tank reservoir canister mounted in a compact manner laterally adjacent the pump.
  • the canister accumulates a reserve of filtered and bypassed fuel therein, and preferably adjacent its bottom communicates through a calibrated orifice, and in one embodiment also through a diaphragm actuated valve, and a secondary filter with the main filter chamber to maximize return of bypass fuel to the pump inlet and to provide an auxiliary supply of fuel to the pump inlet when there is an interruption of fuel from the tank to the filter.
  • the second filter overlies the orifice and is located in the reservoir canister so that bypassed reserve fuel is twice filtered.
  • the secondary filter is located beneath the reservoir outlet so that bypassed reserve fuel is again filtered on its return path to the pump inlet, and communicates with both the reservoir outlet and main fuel tank to provide a secondary in-take flow path from main tank to pump inlet in parallel with the main filter.
  • the secondary filter communicates, directly or indirectly, with the interior of the fuel tank to permit any vapor in the fuel to be separated by the secondary filter and except to the tank headspace.
  • both the main and secondary filters are made of a mesh plastic material, such as a woven fabric, having openings with an average size not greater than about 100 microns through which liquid fuel will pass when the material is immersed in fuel, and if wet with fuel when exposed to air will resist and prevent the flow of air through the filter material due to capillary action of the wetted filter material.
  • a mesh plastic material such as a woven fabric
  • a baffle is received in an envelope of the main filter material or a perforate retainer overlies a single ply of main filter material to prevent the filter material from restricting or closing off the flow of fuel from the canister orifice to the pump inlet when the fuel supply from the tank is temporarily interrupted.
  • the interior of the main filter chamber also provides a partial reservoir of fuel to be supplied to the pump inlet when the supply of fuel from the tank is temporarily interrupted.
  • the fuel pump is a turbine vane type provided with a built-in vapor purging system having a vapor purge inlet communicating with the low pressure zone of the rotary pump chamber and a vapor purge outlet leading to the exterior of the pump casing generally at or slightly above the elevation of the pump fuel inlet.
  • the pump is mounted directly in the main body of liquid fuel in the tank, outside the reservoir canister, the pump inlet and pump vapor port outlet are both exposed to the substantially the same gravity pressure head being exerted by the main body of fuel in the tank. Therefore the head of fuel in the canister reservoir, regardless of its magnitude, will not impede or impair self purging of vapor by the pump.
  • the canister reservoir is enlarged in capacity without increasing overall base dimensions, to provide a reserve capacity similar to typical fuel sender modules having reservoir canisters containing fuel pumps therein.
  • a "switchover" and bypass return regulator structure is provided at the bottom of the canister comprising a bottom septum partially or fully closed by a movable valve.
  • a diaphragm made of filter material extends over this canister valve to filter reserve and/or tank fuel entering the pump inlet via the main filter chamber and to operate the reserve supply valve to regulate return of bypassed reserve fuel to the pump, the valve being moved fully open under fuel starvation conditions and high pump demand.
  • a bottom base subassembly containing the secondary filter diaphragm valve and main filter supports the canister and fuel pump and communicates the pump inlet with the main body of the fuel in the tank downstream of both the main and secondary filters.
  • the secondary filter acts as a diaphragm type canister bottom outlet valve and is mechanically associated centrally with a biasing spring that normally biases the secondary filter diaphragm valve closed.
  • the diaphragm valve is alternately provided either with an always-open orifice controlling bypass reserve fuel return or is completely sealed to achieve complete shut off bypassed fuel return flow from the canister bottom outlet.
  • the secondary filter acts in response to pump suction as a diaphragm to shift against the resilient bias of the spring and variably open the canister bottom outlet to admit reservoir fuel from the canister to the pump inlet to thereby either augment or to initiate bypass fuel return to the pump.
  • the calibrated orifice embodiments cooperate with whatever gravity head differential is available to act on bypass reserve fuel in the canister to backwash at least the main filter, and in the diaphragm valve embodiment, also the secondary filter.
  • the secondary filter is disposed at a higher elevation than the main filter and provides a parallel intake flow path to the pump inlet from the main tank to thus provide a fail-safe feature in the event of main filter clogging.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a fuel delivery canister reservoir and pump module assembly embodying this invention mounted in a fuel tank of an automotive vehicle;
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the pump and canister assembly of FIG. 1 with portions broken away and shown in section;
  • FIG. 3 is a simplified and fragmentary view of a second embodiment fuel delivery canister reservoir and pump module assembly of the invention
  • FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the fuel pump and reservoir canister of the second embodiment shown by itself;
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, with portions shown in center section, of the canister and pump module assembly of FIGS. 3 and 4 with a canister bottom outlet filter diaphragm regulating valve shown in closed position;
  • FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 showing the valve in open position
  • FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the reservoir canister of FIGS. 3-6;
  • FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the reservoir canister shown in FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion of FIG. 8 encircled by the circle 10 therein;
  • FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the base subassembly of the module assembly of FIGS. 3-10;
  • FIG. 12 is another exploded perspective view of the base subassembly shown in FIG. 11 but viewed at a different perspective angle;
  • FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the flange component of the base subassembly of FIGS. 3-12 shown to engineering scale;
  • FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the flange component
  • FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 are cross-sectional views taken respectively on the lines 15--15, 16--16 and 17--17 of FIG. 14;
  • FIG. 18 is a bottom plan view of the flange component
  • FIGS. 19 is a plan view of the filter diaphragm component of the base subassembly
  • FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 20--20 of FIG. 19;
  • FIGS. 21 and 22 are plan and side elevation views respectively of the diaphragm retainer component of the base subassembly, shown on a slightly larger scale than the associated filter diaphragm of FIGS. 19 and 20;
  • FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the filter diaphragm spring cup component of the base subassembly as alternately provided with a central calibrated orifice;
  • FIG. 24 is a plan view of the spring cup greatly enlarged over the showing thereof in FIG. 23;
  • FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 25--25 of FIG. 24;
  • FIG. 26 is a plan view of the spring retainer component of the base subassembly
  • FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 27--27 of FIG. 26;
  • FIGS. 28 and 29 are plan and side elevational views respectively of the main or primary filter retainer component of the base subassembly;
  • FIGS. 30 and 31 are plan and side elevational views of the filter support component of the base subassembly
  • FIG. 32 is a plan view of the main filter component of the base subassembly
  • FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33--33 of FIG. 32;
  • FIG. 34 is a simplified, part elevational and part center sectional view of a third embodiment fuel pump and reservoir canister module assembly of the invention utilizing the fuel pump and base subassembly of the second embodiment;
  • FIG. 35 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 34, greatly enlarged thereover and with a portion of the base broken away;
  • FIG. 36 is a side elevational view of the reservoir canister of the assembly of FIG. 34;
  • FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 37--37 of FIG. 36.
  • FIGS. 38 and 39 are top and bottom plan views respectively of the reservoir canister of FIGS. 34-37.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a fuel pump module assembly 10 embodying this invention mounted in a fuel tank 12 of a vehicle, such as an automobile, for supplying liquid hydrocarbon fuel, such as gasoline, to a vehicle engine which is typically fuel injected.
  • the assembly has an electric fuel pump 14 with an inlet 16 connected to a primary or main fuel filter 18 and an outlet 20 connected to a bypass regulator 22 which regulates the pressure of fuel supplied to the engine through a conduit 24.
  • a fuel reservoir canister 26 is connected adjacent its upper end to the bypassed fuel outlet 28 of the regulator 22 and at its lower end to the interior of filter 18 through an orifice plate 30.
  • the fuel pump 14 has a pump assembly 32 (FIG. 1) driven by an electric motor 34 both of which are sealed in a cylindrical housing 36 with a bottom inlet end cap 38 and top outlet end cap 40 (see also FIG. 2).
  • the pump 32 is preferably a turbine type pump but alternatively it may be a positive displacement type pump.
  • a suitable positive displacement gear rotor type electric fuel pump is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,995, and a suitable turbine regenerative fuel pump is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,916, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference and hence the pump 14 will not be described in further detail.
  • each of these patents disclose rotary pumps with a built-in vapor purging system to allow purging of vapor from the pump to enable the pump to be self-priming and to pump against a pressurized fuel line under hot fuel conditions.
  • the vapor purging is accomplished by providing a passage (110) opening to the interface of the inlet housing (FIGS. 1 and 4) and angling at (112) to the outer surface of the circular wall (100) forming the lower end cap of the pump.
  • a small hole is punched in the flexible plate (60) provided in this pump in order to register with the passage (110).
  • a small pocket (114) is provided in the radial face of the inlet housing to prevent possible blocking of the purged passage outlet (112) by a filter connector mounted on the inlet housing (10). Note that purge vapor outlet pocket (114) is generally at the elevation of the pump inlet port (90).
  • Purge port (110) allows vapor in the pumping chamber to escape to the fuel tank early in the compressive stage of the pump rotation so that the intake port of the pump can draw fuel in, thus to facilitate priming. Accordingly, the pump can develop normal operating pressure to prime, when starting initially, and overcome the stored pressure in the fuel line upon restart. This facilitates quick priming to obtain the required pumping pressure on hot fuel which is subject to vaporization.
  • a vapor port (72) opens into the upstream region of the pumping channel (62) immediately adjacent the downstream region.
  • vapor port (72) opens to channel section (62) adjacent to the leading edge of the grooves (70), i.e., at the edge of the groove array proximate to pump inlet port (56).
  • the lower end cap side plate (26) of pump (20) is provided with the vapor port (72) and hence port (72) leads to the exterior of the lower end of the pump through the end plate and is generally at the elevation of pump inlet (58).
  • the rotary pump 32 of the assembly is shown diagrammatically with a pumping chamber 33 (shown with broken lines) and associated vapor purge port passage 35 (also shown in broken lines) leading from pump chamber 33 down through end cap 38 to an outlet communicating directly with the interior of tank 12.
  • Purge outlet 35 is disposed slightly above the elevation of the pump inlet 16 which in turn also communicates directly with the interior of the tank (through primary filter 18).
  • Vapor port passage 35 thus corresponds to passage 110, 112 in the '995 patent and to vapor port 72 of the 916 patent, and functions in similar but enhanced manner in accordance with a further feature of the present invention because of the manner in which pump assembly 14 is exteriorly associated with the fuel reservoir canister 26 in accordance with the invention.
  • the pump 14 operates at constant speed and supplies a greater quantity of fuel to the pressure regulator 22 than is needed even to meet the maximum demand of the operating engine.
  • Regulator 22 maintains a substantially constant pressure of fuel supplied through its outlet 42 to the engine by bypassing or discharging excess fuel through its bypass outlet 28 into the reserve fuel reservoir of canister 26 and at a variable flow rate inverse to that flowing in line 24 to the engine.
  • the pressure regulator has a flow rate control valve actuated by a diaphragm in response to changing fuel demand of the engine to maintain a substantially constant output pressure.
  • the regulator will maintain a substantially constant output pressure, such as 50 psig, with a pressure drop of about 1 psi over the full range of variation of the fuel flow rate to the engine from 0 to 40 gallons per hour.
  • the fuel pump assembly 10 is used in a no-return fuel system which does not have any line returning fuel from the downstream side of the engine fuel injectors or the fuel rail to the fuel tank.
  • Suitable pressure regulators 22 for no-return fuel systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,220,941 and 5,398,655, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference and hence the pressure regulator 22 will not be described in greater detail.
  • the primary filter 18 has a bag or envelope 50 formed from a sheet 52 of a flexible filter material of a fine mesh, such as a plastic material, which is heat sealed together around its periphery 54.
  • the interior chamber 56 of the envelope communicates through an outlet 58 with the inlet 16 of the pump into which it is slidably received and frictionally retained with an interference fit.
  • the outlet 58 is made of a plastic material and has a peripheral flange 60 secured and sealed by a heat seal 62 to the upper wall 64 of the sheet filter material 52.
  • a fuel-permeable spacer such as a flexible corrugated baffle 66, which can be made of a resilient plastic material, is received in the envelope 50 to prevent the flexible bottom wall 68 of the filter material 52 from collapsing under the weight of the pump assembly, and from being forced upwardly by pump suction onto the outlet 58 in the upper wall 64 and thereby restricting flow of fuel through the outlet and into the pump inlet 16.
  • the baffle 16 is narrower in width than envelope 18 to thereby enable free flow of fuel within the envelope around the side edges of the baffle so that the baffle can be made of imperforate material, if desired.
  • module assembly 10 is preferably vertically movably supported from a conventional tank top mounting flange (not shown) on a suitable conventional telescopic type support fixture (not shown) so as to be gravitationally biased, and also, if desired, spring biased and pressurized outlet hose biased, downwardly as a "bottom-seeking" type fuel sender module.
  • reservoir canister 26 is formed by a tube 80, preferably made of a fuel-compatible plastic material such as Acetal, with a peripheral flange 82 at its lower end which overlies an opening 84 through the upper wall 64 of the filter material and is attached and sealed to it by a heat seal 86.
  • the underlying orifice plate 30 is also secured and sealed to the flange and the adjoining filter wall by a heat seal 88 to close the bottom of the reservoir tube 80 so that fuel will flow from the bottom of the reservoir only through a calibrated orifice 90 in the plate.
  • the orifice 90 is sized so that the reservoir tube 80 will be substantially completely filled with fuel discharged from the bypass outlet 28 of the pressure regulator 22 during normal operation of the pump.
  • the orifice 90 typically has a diameter in the range of about 0.10 to 0.20 of an inch.
  • the flow controlling cross section of orifice 90 is thus correlated with pump output and engine fuel demand parameters to obtain a reserve fuel flow "balance" between bypass fuel input to canister 26, and reserve fuel canister outflow via orifice 90 and back through main filter chamber 56 to the pump inlet 16, to establish a maximum gravity reserve head of fuel in the canister with minimum, if any, overflow from the open top of canister 26 back into the main tank.
  • a secondary filter 92 is disposed in the bottom of the tube 80 and overlying the orifice 90.
  • filter 92 has a finer mesh or openings size than the primary filter 18 and typically has an opening average size not greater than about 60 microns.
  • the secondary filter has an average opening or pore size of about 30 to 40 microns and the primary filter has an average opening or pore size of about 60 to 70 microns.
  • the filter 92 is disposed above the orifice rather than below it so vapor can indirectly escape to the tank headspace upwardly through the body reserve fuel in the canister.
  • the baffle 66 also insures that the flexible bottom wall 68 of the filter material is not forced or collapsed onto the orifice 90 which would block the flow of reserve fuel down through the orifice and via the interior chamber 56 of the filter to the pump inlet 16.
  • a cylindrical portion 94 of the housing 96 of the pressure regulator 22 projects through a bore 98 in the sidewall of the tube 80.
  • a peripheral annular flange 100 is pressed with an interference fit into a collar 102 coaxial with and encircling the bore and integral with the tube.
  • an O-ring 104 provides a seal between the regulator housing 96 and the tube 80.
  • the upper end 106 of the reservoir tube 80 opens into the fuel tank headspace and thus prevents any pressure build-up from bypass fuel flow input that would occur if the canister top were sealed, and thus permits excess reserve bypass fuel to flow out of the top of the reservoir tube into the fuel tank.
  • the open-top canister also permits any air or vapor in the fuel in the reservoir tube to rise and separate from the reserve fuel and pass through the open end 106 into the vapor dome headspace in the fuel tank.
  • the fuel pump module 10 is mounted in the fuel tank with the reservoir canister tube 80 extending generally vertically and the fuel filter 18 immediately adjacent the lowermost bottom portion 70 of the fuel tank and preferably resting on the bottom 70 of the tank as a "bottom-seeking” module.
  • the relatively compact lateral dimensions of module 10 with its elongate filter 18 enable the same to fit within the sometimes narrow confines of such a swirl pot.
  • the fuel tank is at least partially full of a liquid fuel, such as gasoline, to a level above the filter 18 so that the filter and the pump inlet 16 are completely immersed in fuel.
  • the fuel level can rise to the top of tube 80 and overflow into the tank through the open upper end 106 of the tube.
  • some of the fuel entering the reservoir also flows continuously out of the bottom of the tube through the secondary filter 92 and calibrated orifice 90, passes through the interior chamber 56 of the primary filter 18 and reenters the pump inlet 16 along with fuel drawn from the tank through the primary filter.
  • the maximum canister head reserve fuel level is maintained below canister overflow level so that as much as possible of the bypassed fuel, which has already been once filtered by passing through filter 18 to the pump inlet, is returned to the pump inlet after being again filtered through the secondary filter 92.
  • the pump receives fuel from the reserve supply in reservoir canister 26 at a greater flow rate than when tank fuel is available at filter 18 due to the increase in negative pressure at orifice 90 exerted by pump suction under these adverse conditions.
  • the reserve fuel thus flows through the secondary filter 92, calibrated orifice 90, interior chamber 56 of filter 18 and into the inlet 16 of the fuel pump at a sufficient rate to satisfy pump and engine fuel demand and thereby avoid fuel starvation interruption under such adverse conditions. Meanwhile, fuel in excess of engine demand continues to be returned into tube 80 from bypass regulator 22 to thereby prolong the availability of reserve fuel during such adverse conditions.
  • the capillary action of the wet sheet of filter material 52 forming top and bottom envelope walls 64 and 68 prevents air and fuel vapor from passing through the filter material into the interior chamber 56 of the filter bag or envelope 50 and into the pump inlet. If the interruption of the fuel in the tank is of sufficient duration so that all of the reserve fuel in the reservoir canister 26 is consumed, then the filter envelope chamber 56 itself provides an additional reservoir or reserve of fuel which is supplied to the pump. Preferably, as this fuel is depleted, the walls 64 and 68 of the flexible filter material 52 collapse inwardly, but the baffle 66 prevents the filter material from restricting or closing off the pump inlet 16.
  • the baffle also insures that when an essentially completely empty fuel tank is refilled, the walls of the filter 18 will be expanded into their normal operating position, thereby insuring that the inlet 16 of the fuel pump will be unrestricted when the engine is restarted.
  • tube 80 will normally be almost if not completely full of reserve fuel at engine shut-down.
  • reserve fuel during such engine-off periods can drain from tube 80 via calibrated orifice 90 and filter 18 and thus leak back into the main body of fuel in tank 12, this leakage will occur only to the extent that a gravity head pressure differential exists between fuel tank level, relative to orifice 90, and the reservoir fuel level in tube 80. Because this gravity-induced pressure differential is small as compared to the pump suction induced pressure differential when pump 32 is drawing reserve fuel via orifice 90, this engine-off "leak" flow rate is much less than "reserve pump draw” flow rate.
  • tube 80 available for engine re-start for a predetermined prolonged period even under pump inlet starvation conditions, e.g., the vehicle parked on a steep incline with a low level of fuel in tank 12.
  • fuel delivery module 10 now enables use of a turbine type rotary vane fuel pump, such as that set forth in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,916, in association with a reserve fuel reservoir canister without thereby disabling the operation of the vapor purging system 35 of the pump 32.
  • a turbine type rotary vane fuel pump such as that set forth in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,916, in association with a reserve fuel reservoir canister without thereby disabling the operation of the vapor purging system 35 of the pump 32.
  • such disablement could occur if the turbine pump were disposed within the interior of the reservoir canister, and the outlet of pump purge port 35 were subjected to a gravity pressure head of reserve fuel in the canister exceeding the gravity pressure head of the main body of fuel in tank 12 by some given disabling amount, say two and half inches of water.
  • the outlet of the purge port communicates directly with the interior of tank 12, outside of reservoir canister 26.
  • the elevation of the outlet of purge passage 35 is generally at the same elevation of pump inlet 16 where it communicates with tank fuel, or only slightly vertically spaced from one another, but preferably with the outlet of purge passage 35 being slightly above the opening of pump inlet 16 to the tank.
  • vent tube outlet is at about the same elevation as the pump inlet.
  • FIGS. 3-33 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention that also utilizes the feature of the invention of mounting a turbine vane fuel pump assembly 14, having the aforementioned built-in vapor purging system 33, 35, 38, outside of, but closely adjacent to a canister reservoir so that the pump 32 and its vapor purge outlet 35 are mounted directly in the main body of fuel in the tank.
  • a fuel pump/reservoir/canister base module assembly 110 is provided, preferably tank mounted and suspended in a conventional manner so as to be of the bottom seeking type, and adapted dimensionally for a drop-in installation through an opening in the top wall 24 of tank 12 to rest on its base at the bottom of a swivel pot basis 112 in tank 12.
  • Module 110 also includes a reservoir canister 120 (see particularly FIGS. 7-10) open at its upper end to communicate with the headspace or vapor dome in the interior of tank 12.
  • Canister 120 is provided with a circular opening 124 which receives the cylindrical portion 94 of the housing 96 of pressure regulator 22 which is mounted to the canister in the manner of the first embodiment assembly 10 described previously.
  • Module 110 further includes a base subassembly 130 (shown generally in FIGS. 3-6 and in detail in FIGS. 11-18) of generally cylindrical configuration diametrically sized to slip through a tank mounting opening (not shown) when inserting the module into and through this opening in tank top wall 24.
  • Base 130 is open at the bottom and provided at its outer periphery with four equally circumferentially spaced legs 132 adapted to seat on the swivel pot or tank bottom wall 70.
  • Base 130 has a disc-like flange component 133 from which protrudes integrally upwardly a specially configured open spider leg mounting boss 134.
  • Boss 134 carries a central raised canister mounting ring 136 with an internal bore 138 which receives a downwardly protruding neck 140 of the bottom wall 142 of canister 120 which forms the counter bottom outlet 144.
  • Base 130 is snap-fit assembled to the lower end of canister 122 by fitting canister neck 140 in ring 136.
  • Module assembly 110 additionally includes the turbine type fuel pump 14.
  • Canister 120 is specially shaped (i.e., tall cylinder of narrow diameter) and laterally offset on base 130 to provide an exterior side nesting space for accommodating pump 14 in nested relation along one side of canister 120. Pump 14 in assembly thus does not protrude beyond the exterior dimensions of base 130 to permit module 110 to be fitted within the tank top wall opening when pump 14 is in assembled relation as part of module 110.
  • the flat wall 146 of flange 133 in the pump recess area adjacent canister 120 is provided with an upwardly flanged neck 148 to receive an anti-rotation rubber grommet seal (not shown).
  • the pump inlet boss 16 is also sealably received with a press fit in the grommet and flange neck 148 to thereby mount the lower end of the pump on base 130 after pump 14 has been preassembled to canister 120.
  • Wall 146 of flange 133 is also provided with an upwardly protruding horizontally elongated open top drain trough 150 constructed as shown in detail in FIGS.
  • base assembly 130 in addition to flange 133, the remaining components of base assembly 130, in addition to flange 133, include a filter diaphragm 160, a ring-like diaphragm retainer 162 which overlies and is heat sealed to the outer peripheral edge of filter diaphragm 160, a spring cup 164 provided with a central calibrated orifice 166, a coil compression spring 168 having its upper coil nested in the turned-down flange 170 of cup 164, a spring retainer 170, a ring-like main filter retainer 172, a main filter support 174 and a disc-like main filter 176.
  • a filter diaphragm 160 a ring-like diaphragm retainer 162 which overlies and is heat sealed to the outer peripheral edge of filter diaphragm 160
  • a spring cup 164 provided with a central calibrated orifice 166
  • a coil compression spring 168 having its upper coil nested in the turned-down flange 1
  • base assembly 130 is constructed to the configuration and geometry shown in the detail engineering views of FIGS. 19-33 and are scaled relative to one another as shown in perspective views of FIGS. 11 and 12, which also illustrate the order of their stack-up assembled relationship with flange 133.
  • the base components are shown in final assembly in FIGS. 5 and 6.
  • base 133 has a circular flange 180 (see also FIGS. 15 and 16) that defines the throughopening 156 in flange wall 146.
  • Diaphragm retainer 162 with filter diaphragm 160 attached thereto at its outer edge, is press fit into flange 180 so that filter diaphragm 160 spans across opening 156 immediately beneath the outwardly flared lower annular edge 182 of canister neck 140.
  • Spring retainer 170 is subassembled with spring 168, the spring bottom coil being seated on a downwardly indented central imperforate spring seat portion 182 of spring retainer 170.
  • Spring cup 164 rests on the top coil of spring 168 with its peripheral flange 169 oriented downwardly. This subassembly is then inserted with a press fit upwardly into flange 180 in clamping relation with diaphragm retainer 162, to the position shown in FIG. 5.
  • the main or primary filter 176 is heat sealed or otherwise suitably fixedly bonded at its outer edge to the underside of filter retainer 172.
  • Filter support 174 is a wagon wheel type open grid with dual concentric rim and inner rings 192 and 198, and is suitably centered on and fixed to the upper surface of filter 176 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
  • This main filter subassembly is telescopically press fit into the mating annular seat provided by the peripheral flange rim or skirt 184 which encircles the outer periphery of wall 146.
  • the assembled position of primary filter 176, associated retainer 172 and filter support 174 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
  • base 130 of module assembly 110 in operative position rests on bottom wall 70 of the swirl pot 112 (or similarly on the conventional fuel tank bottom wall), and defines a main filter chamber 186 in the space beneath flange wall 146 and above primary or main filter 176.
  • Chamber 186 communicates with both the fuel pump inlet 116 and with the space beneath the secondary filter diaphragm 160 through the open spokes of spring retainer 170.
  • the primary fuel flow path from the fuel in swirl pot 112 into chamber 186 is through the clearance spaces between stand-off feet 132 and the under edge of skirt 184, and thence through main filter 176 into chamber 186.
  • a parallel or secondary fuel flow path from the tank and swirl pot to main filter chamber 186 is provided by the four wide openings existing between the four spider legs 188 of canister support boss 134 of base 130, thence through the filter screen material of the filter diaphragm 160 and thence through the spaces between wagon wheel spokes 190 of filter support 174.
  • vapor purge bypass fuel exiting via purge port 35 is channeled by trough 150 into opening 156 to flow downwardly through filter diaphragm 160 into main filter chamber 186.
  • main filter 176 Upward movement of main filter 176 is limited by filter support 174 abutting at its outer rim 192 against the underside of a row of seven stand-off feet 194, and by inner ring 198 of filter support 170 abutting spring seat 182 of spring retainer 170.
  • spring cup 164 is provided with the calibrated central orifice 166 which registers with the circular central region 161 of diaphragm 160.
  • orifice 166 it will also be seen that there is an always-open fuel flow path from the reserve fuel reservoir 121 of canister 120 downwardly through neck outlet 144, through the central region 161 of filter diaphragm 160, then downwardly through cup orifice 166 and thence out through the spaced coils of spring 168 into main filter chamber 186.
  • spring cup 164 can be made completely imperforate by elimination of calibrated orifice 166 therein so that the same operates to completely close and seal outlet 144 when spring 168 is biasing diaphragm filter 160 against the canister outlet annular valve seat formed by neck edge 182.
  • This full sealing valve action can also be obtained by molding in a suitable rubber sealant material to thereby embed the mesh filter material of filter diaphragm 160 in this imperforate rubber material.
  • the central region 161 of filter diaphragm 160 will thereby serve as an imperforate valve closure member overlying spring cup 164.
  • Either form of spring cup 164 also functions to protect the material of diaphragm filter 160 from undue wear or being torn by the spring end coil.
  • the fuel pump and canister module 110 is mounted in the fuel tank 12 with the reservoir canister 120 extending generally vertically so that primary fuel filter 176 is disposed immediately adjacent the bottom wall 70 of swivel pot 112 or the fuel tank and preferably resting thereon.
  • the fuel tank is at least partially full of liquid fuel, such as gasoline, to a level above both primary filter 176 as well as secondary diaphragm filter 160 so that these filters and the pump inlet 16 are completely submerged in the main body of tank fuel or at least the body of fuel in swirl pot 112.
  • pump assembly 14 fuel is drawn from the main body of fuel in the tank via both filters 176 and 160 into main filter chamber 186 and thence into pump inlet 16.
  • a variable fuel flow is discharged from the pump outlet 42 and via line 24 to the engine fuel rail (not shown) at substantially constant pressure, such as 50 psig.
  • regulator 22 maintains a substantially constant output pressure by return-bypassing a portion of the fuel supplied in excess of engine demand, the regulator discharging the excess bypassed fuel through its outlet 28 into the upper region of reservoir chamber 121 of canister 120.
  • fuel in the reservoir canister 120 rises to a level which is usually adjacent or somewhat below the open upper end 122 of canister 120.
  • the fuel rises to the top of canister 120 and overflows through the open upper end 122 of the canister into the main body of fuel in the swivel pot 112 or into the fuel level is above the swivel pot tank.
  • the pump inlet 16 can be starved when the remaining fuel in the tank moves away from both the primary filter 176 as well as secondary diaphragm filter 160, such as during the aforementioned cornering of the vehicle and/or severe inclination of the tank.
  • the filter screen mesh material of both diaphragm filter 160 and main filter 176 will likewise be starved of fuel but will remain wet with fuel. Under these conditions, air in the main tank being drawn toward the pump inlet by pump suction will try to pass through these filter materials. However these wet filters will reject the passage of air due to the liquid capillary seal of these wet filter materials.
  • canister outlet 144 will still be closed, but not sealed, by the mesh filter material forced across seat 182. Hence a controlled but continuous flow of reserve fuel will occur from reservoir 121 through the center portion of permeable zone 161, through spring cup orifice 166 and through the spaces between the coil of spring 168 into main filter chamber 186.
  • the pump will draw from the reservoir and tank in an inverse ratio to maintain by the pressure balancing effect a reserve head of fuel in the canister.
  • cup orifice 166 is calibrated (e.g., 0.40 mm diameter) to provide the aforementioned "balance" to maintain a maximum head of reserve fuel in canister 120 and a minimum overflow from canister during normal fuel delivery system operation. This assures that a sufficient quantity of reserve bypass fuel will be available for pump input draw when the pump inlet is starved of fuel from the main tank, while also maximizing return of twice filtered bypassed fuel during normal pump operation under non-starvation conditions.
  • filter diaphragm 160 i.e., being raised in the center by spring 168 and recessed downwardly therefrom in a conical formation out to the periphery of the filter at diaphragm retainer 162.
  • This down-flow of fuel as it exits outlet 144 tends to radially spread out in a full circle pattern as it is initially flowing along the exterior surface of filter 160 radially outwardly of the central area 161, and as it is being drawn by the pressure differential through filter 160 into chamber 186.
  • this fountain flow tends to keep the exterior surface of filter 160 washed free of contaminant clogging, particularly in an annular zone immediately adjacent and surrounding central region 161.
  • Secondary filter 160 therefore tends to remain unclogged by tank contaminants for a longer period than primary filter 176 because of this fountain washing effect, and also due to the disposition of secondary filter 160 at a higher elevation than primary filter 176, i.e., on the top side of base 130 versus the underside thereof.
  • This system operational effect provides an enhanced fail-safe feature insofar as it provides an auxiliary fuel inflow path from the main tank body of fuel through secondary filter 160 in parallel with that through primary filter 176 to main filter chamber 186 and thence to pump inlet 16.
  • primary filter 176 is severely clogged with tank contaminants the fuel delivery system can remain operable for a prolonged period by drawing fuel from the main body of fuel in the tank through only secondary filter 160.
  • valve structure of filter diaphragm 160 is arranged to open in the direction of flow out of canister outlet 144 into main chamber 186, and likewise to open in the direction of flow from the main body of fuel tank through filter diaphragm 160 into chamber 186, and to merge toward the pump inlet 16, under both starvation and non-starvation conditions.
  • operation of pump 14 will tend to open canister outlet 144 under both conditions but with varying effect depending on which of these conditions are effective or controlling at any given time.
  • the variable flow rate control provided by the fixed calibrated orifice 166 can be modulated and augmented by the variable downwardly opening action of diaphragm 160.
  • orifice 161 and spring 168 can be designed to work together to better achieve canister bypass fuel head balancing conditions in order to match system operational and performance parameters in achieving the aforementioned maximization of return of bypass fuel to pump inlet during normal system operation under non-starvation conditions.
  • shut down spring 168 can be selected to allow leakage of bypass fuel from reservoir 121 from say completely full to half full whenever the main tank is empty or at some very low level condition.
  • this backwashing effect may thus not occur very often during the service life of the vehicle and fuel delivery system, even creating the possibility of such an event occurring infrequently can enhance operational life of the fuel delivery system.
  • filter clogging conditions become aggravated because contaminant concentration at the filters increases for a fixed quantity of contaminant particles in the fuel tank as the volume of the main fuel body in the tank decreases. Also for this reason maximizing use of twice-filtered fuel through the pump becomes more beneficial in proportion to the drop in main tank fuel level in preventing fuel injector clogging and/or downstream fuel line filter clogging.
  • Module 120 can thus provide a large reserve fuel capacity to ensure extended vehicle operation under tank empty conditions, or for restarting the vehicle when parked on incline with a low tank fuel level.
  • filter backwashing capability at system shut-down is provided, and hence canister 120 loses some volumetric capacity reserve duration by loss to backwash outflow, it still is possible to obtain both beneficial effects, albeit each to a lesser extent.
  • mounting pump 140 directly in the main body of the fuel of the tank, outside of canister 120 enhances pump cooling and isolates it from any hot fuel conditions which may occur within the canister reservoir.
  • the second embodiment enables the use of a turbine vane type rotary pump with a built-in vapor purging system to be operable as intended and in an enhanced manner, while still providing all of the advantages of a large reserve supply of fuel selectable as needed from the associated canister reservoir.
  • the outlet of vapor purge port passage 35 is only slightly above the elevation of the pump inlet 162, as well as being laterally adjacent the bottom region of the reservoir chamber 121 of canister 120.
  • at least once-filtered fuel exiting pump chamber 33 via purge port 35 is returned to the main filter chamber 186 via trough 150 and filter diaphragm 160.
  • this now twice-filtered additional bypass fuel is returned to the pump inlet instead of being wasted by uncontrolled outflow to the tank fuel body.
  • This further consevation of bypass fuel use again becomes particularly beneficial under very low tank level and/or pump starvation vehicle operational conditions.
  • the spoked spring retainer disc 170, filter diaphragm valve 160 and spring 168 provide a simple and economical valve actuating mechanism for opening and closing flow of reserve fuel to pump 14. In one mode of operation of valve 160 no reserve fuel will be lost to the tank when not needed by pump 14. On the other hand, since the pressure head of fuel in canister 120 acts in the direction tending to unseat valve 160, spring 226 can be made inexpensively as a light spring exerting minimal biasing force to allow diaphragm valve 160 to augment orifice flow and/or provide filter backwash flow.
  • locating the pump vapor purge passageways outside the reservoir canister also removes this reserve fuel reverse leak path through the pump when it is shut down, thereby eliminating the need for a pump inlet back check valve or foot valve type canister containment structure otherwise required to prevent such canister leak down through the pump vapor purge passageway.
  • Base 130 due to its use of flat, circular geometry in its multiple components, as herein disclosed in the form of the engineering scale views of FIGS. 11-33, is readily and economically manufacturable with plastic injection molding processes and equipment from a suitable fuel-compatible plastic, such as Acetal (except for the filter screen material of filters 160 and 176).
  • a suitable fuel-compatible plastic such as Acetal (except for the filter screen material of filters 160 and 176).
  • the filter screen material is 70 micron mesh nylon 6 square weave for primary filter 176, and 62 micron mesh nylon 6 square weave for secondary filter diaphragm 160.
  • the snap-together assembly of the pump and canister components on base 130 also contribute to manufacturing cost reduction.
  • FIGS. 34-39 illustrate a third embodiment pump/canister/base module assembly 300 of the invention that utilizes the same pump assembly 14, bypass regulator subassembly 22 and base subassembly 130 as module assembly 110.
  • module assembly 300 uses a modified canister reservoir 302 constructed as shown to scale in FIGS. 34-39.
  • Canister 302 has a generally "D-shape" in horizontal cross section, as best seen in FIGS. 35, 38 and 39.
  • the bottom wall 304 of canister 302 is again provided with the neck outlet 140 to snap fit with mounting neck 136 of base spider 134 (FIG. 34).
  • a major portion of the vertically oriented side wall of canister 302 is made up of cylindrically shaped upper and lower wall sections 306 and 308 integrally joined by a horizontal shelf wall section 310.
  • the outside diameter of upper wall section 306 is made to the same as that of flange 133 so that the overall horizontal dimension of canister 302 does not increase the overall diameter of module assembly 300.
  • Canister 302 is indented in its side wall formation in the area of pump 14 so that the pump has a recessed mounting relative to canister 302.
  • canister 302 has two upper chordal wall sections 312 and 314 joined by shelf wall sections 316 and 318 respectively to complemental lower chordal wall sections 320 and 322, wall sections 312 and 314 being generally coplanar with the axis of pump 14.
  • the canister side wall indentation adjacent pump 14 is formed by pocket walls 324 and 326 of concave curvature facing pump 14, and these are joined by a T-cross section wall section 328 (FIGS. 35, 38 and 39).
  • Pump 14 nests in the space between wall sections 324 and 326 and is mounted on base 130 in the same manner and location as in module assembly 110.
  • flange 100 of the bypass regulator 122 has a complemental downwardly sliding insertion fit into the T-section cavity of the T-wall 328, as best seen in FIG. 35.
  • This sliding insertion T-lock interengagement between regulator flange 100 and canister wall T-section 328 provides the upper module support interconnection for the pump and canister.
  • Their snap-in mounting on base 130 provides the lower module support interconnection.
  • Wall T-section 328 is provided with an upwardly opening notch 330 for receiving the cylindrical portion 94 of pressure regulating housing 96.
  • the regulator outlet 28 thus protrudes into the uppermost region of canister 302 with maximum spacing from the opposed face of upper wall section 306 and is generally vertically aligned above canister outlet 144.
  • canister 302 maximizes the space available above base 130 to thereby increase bypass reserve fuel capacity of module assembly 300.
  • the canister may have a reservoir capacity of approximately 700 to 750 millimeters.
  • canister 120 when configured as shown in FIGS. 3-6 and constructed to the scale of FIGS. 7-10 relative to the same diameter base 133 has a capacity of approximately 300 millimeters.
  • canister 302 is slightly more costly in terms of material and tooling costs than canister 120, the large increase in reserve capacity provides an economical cost/benefit ratio in many applications that still require a relatively small outside diameter module to fit within relatively small tank openings.
  • all of the previously described features and advantages of module assembly 110 are still obtained with module assembly 300.

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  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
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US08/602,087 1995-06-30 1996-02-15 In-tank fuel pump and reservoir Expired - Lifetime US5647328A (en)

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US08/602,087 US5647328A (en) 1995-06-30 1996-02-15 In-tank fuel pump and reservoir
US08/643,634 US5647329A (en) 1995-06-30 1996-05-06 In-tank fuel pump and reservoir
DE19625629A DE19625629A1 (de) 1995-06-30 1996-06-26 Im Tank angeordnete Kraftstoffpumpe und Speicher
JP8167966A JPH09133058A (ja) 1995-06-30 1996-06-27 タンク内設置式燃料ポンプ及びリザーバ
FR9608077A FR2736009B1 (fr) 1995-06-30 1996-06-28 Ensemble a module a pompe et cuve de reserve de carburant

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US49695095A 1995-06-30 1995-06-30
US58785296A 1996-01-11 1996-01-11
US08/602,087 US5647328A (en) 1995-06-30 1996-02-15 In-tank fuel pump and reservoir

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US5787865A (en) * 1997-09-29 1998-08-04 General Motors Corporation Reservoir for motor vehicle fuel tank
US5873349A (en) * 1997-03-07 1999-02-23 Walbro Corporation Fuel pressure regulator
FR2777603A1 (fr) 1998-04-21 1999-10-22 Marwal Systems Dispositif de pompage de carburant comprenant une reserve perfectionnee
FR2777602A1 (fr) 1998-04-21 1999-10-22 Marwal Systems Dispositif de pompage de carburant comportant des moyens anti-cavitation
FR2777601A1 (fr) 1998-04-21 1999-10-22 Marwal Systems Dispositif de pompage de carburant comportant une pompe muie d'un orifice de degazage
US6086752A (en) * 1998-02-11 2000-07-11 Dana Corporation Fuel filter with internal pressure regulator
US6203286B1 (en) * 1999-01-14 2001-03-20 Pierburg Ag Electric fuel pump which is self-filling at low fuel levels in a fuel tank
US6231318B1 (en) * 1999-03-29 2001-05-15 Walbro Corporation In-take fuel pump reservoir
US6260542B1 (en) * 1997-08-06 2001-07-17 Mannesmann Vdo Ag Fuel supply system
US6267103B1 (en) * 1998-08-21 2001-07-31 Mannesmann Vdo Ag Fuel delivery unit
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FR2890341A1 (fr) * 2005-09-02 2007-03-09 Inergy Automotive Systems Res Systeme a carburant comprenant une reserve a carburant et un bac de retention
WO2007026011A1 (fr) * 2005-09-02 2007-03-08 Inergy Automotive Systems Research (Société Anonyme) Circuit d’alimentation en carburant comportant un contenant de reserve de carburant et un bac de retenue
US20090126693A1 (en) * 2005-09-02 2009-05-21 Inergy Automotive Systems Research Fuel System Comprising A Fuel Reserve Container And A Retaining Trough
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US20070215122A1 (en) * 2006-03-17 2007-09-20 Keihin Corporation Fuel supply apparatus for motor cycle
US7513243B2 (en) * 2006-03-17 2009-04-07 Keihin Corporation Fuel supply apparatus for motor cycle
WO2008008974A3 (fr) * 2006-07-13 2008-10-16 Filtertek Inc Appareil de vanne, ensembles de vannes de filtrage combinés et dispositifs, systèmes et procédés incluant ceux-ci
US20080011667A1 (en) * 2006-07-13 2008-01-17 Ruschke Ricky R Valve Apparatus, Combination Filter Valve Assemblies and Devices, Systems, and Methods IncludingThe Same
US7997293B2 (en) 2006-07-13 2011-08-16 Filtertek, Inc. Valve apparatus, combination filter valve assemblies and devices, systems, and methods including the same
US7628143B2 (en) * 2007-07-23 2009-12-08 Denso Corporation Fuel supply device
US20090025690A1 (en) * 2007-07-23 2009-01-29 Denso Corporation Fuel supply device
US20100307615A1 (en) * 2007-12-04 2010-12-09 Nifco Inc. Fuel supply device
CN104771950A (zh) * 2008-04-03 2015-07-15 Spx公司 双重过滤介质液体过滤器
CN101632881B (zh) * 2008-04-03 2015-03-18 Spx公司 双重过滤介质液体过滤器
US8052867B2 (en) * 2008-04-03 2011-11-08 Filtran Llc Dual media fluid filter
CN101632881A (zh) * 2008-04-03 2010-01-27 Spx公司 双重过滤介质液体过滤器
CN104771950B (zh) * 2008-04-03 2017-07-11 Spx公司 双重过滤介质液体过滤器
US20090250410A1 (en) * 2008-04-03 2009-10-08 Spx Corporation Dual media fluid filter
US8591731B2 (en) 2008-04-03 2013-11-26 Filtran Llc Dual media fluid filter
US20110131789A1 (en) * 2008-09-01 2011-06-09 Inergy Automotive Systems Research (Societe Anonyme) Process for manufacturing a plastic fuel tank equipped with a pump
US8631556B2 (en) * 2008-09-01 2014-01-21 Inergy Automotive Systems Research (Société Anonyme) Process for manufacturing a plastic fuel tank equipped with a pump
US20100065023A1 (en) * 2008-09-15 2010-03-18 Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc. Anti-Clogging Fuel Pump Module
US7757672B2 (en) * 2008-09-15 2010-07-20 Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc. Anti-clogging fuel pump module
US8720485B2 (en) 2010-06-03 2014-05-13 Robert Bosch Gmbh Fuel system including dual fuel delivery modules for bifurcated fuel tanks
US20120145132A1 (en) * 2010-12-14 2012-06-14 GM Global Technology Operations LLC Low Fuel Engine Restarting
US8561596B2 (en) * 2010-12-14 2013-10-22 GM Global Technology Operations LLC Low fuel engine restarting
US20120168006A1 (en) * 2010-12-30 2012-07-05 Coavis Reservoir for fuel tank
US11125196B2 (en) 2019-05-10 2021-09-21 Walbro Llc Bottom mount fuel pump assembly
CN114225494A (zh) * 2022-01-05 2022-03-25 贵州永红航空机械有限责任公司 一种流量适应型自清洁燃油滤
CN114225494B (zh) * 2022-01-05 2023-02-28 贵州永红航空机械有限责任公司 一种流量适应型自清洁燃油滤
US12085216B2 (en) 2022-02-17 2024-09-10 Arctic Cat Inc. Multi-use fuel filler tube
US12025084B1 (en) * 2023-06-12 2024-07-02 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation In-tank ejector pump
US20250355451A1 (en) * 2024-05-14 2025-11-20 William Durkin Day Tank Fuel Supply System

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US5647329A (en) 1997-07-15
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